BEAUTY UNFADED
By Janice Veldman
the stench of sleep
lingers on her breath
unnoticed
her sleep-tossed graying hair
does not matter
in his eyes
she has everlasting beauty
it was her beauty that drew her to him
his love grew roots into that beauty
a romance grew from its sprouts
expecting a lifetime
of closeness and intimacy
now that beauty has faded away
he commands a new post
always on alert
in the morning rises from a sleepless night
his tired body moves into action
a routine he knows well
willing to alter if she becomes confused
he assists, comforts, holds, soothes her
what she was able to do
he now does for her
he chokes away his fears
replacing those with a smile
he aims to please her
though never confident that he does
she is his and he is hers
at least he hopes it is so
Photographic image—by Dane Vandeputte—taken on November 9, 2014. Online via Flickr; license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0